angel - rafe cameron (outerbanks)

21 - breaking point

chapter 21
breaking point

the sun was glowing in the sky as angie pulled up to barry's house, her heart hammering against her ribs. the drive here had been nerve-wracking, every second spent imagining what she might find out.

the thought of speaking to barry turned her stomach, but she had to know. if maddie was mixed up in something, barry was the thread she needed to pull.

the house looked as unwelcoming as ever. paint peeled from the siding, and the yard was a graveyard of discarded junk. the front door hung slightly ajar, but there were no cars in the driveway, no signs of life. angie frowned, gripping the steering wheel as she debated her next move.

she stepped out of the car, each step toward the house feeling heavier than the last. her sneakers crunched against the gravel, and the oppressive silence made her skin crawl. she reached the door and hesitated. knocking seemed pointless—barry wasn't exactly known for his hospitality.

instead, she nudged the door open and called out, "barry?"nothing.the house was empty, but it smelled of cigarettes and something sour. angie lingered in the doorway, debating whether to wait for him or leave when the faint rumble of an approaching engine caught her attention.

she turned to see a familiar van pulling into the driveway.

the pogues.

her stomach dropped as she instinctively stepped back, looking for somewhere—anywhere—to hide. but there was no time. the van came to a halt, and before she could slip out of sight, the passenger door flew open.

jj was the first out, his jaw tight and his eyes blazing. he stormed toward the house, his footsteps heavy with frustration.

"this is bullshit, john b!" he called over his shoulder.angie froze, caught in the doorway like a deer in headlights.

jj stopped short when he saw her, his brows knitting in confusion. "what the hell?"

behind him, john b climbed out of the driver's seat, slamming the door shut as he followed. "what's going on?" he demanded, his voice sharp. his gaze snapped to angie, then to their surroundings, and back to her.

"angie?" jj asked, his tone accusatory. "what are you doing here?"

angie opened her mouth to respond, but the words stuck in her throat. she had no good explanation—at least not one she could share. her pulse raced as she tried to think of something, anything, that would make sense.

"i—" she started, but her voice faltered.

"i— i was looking for barry," she stammered, her words tumbling over each other. "he's not here. i was just leaving."

she pushed past them, desperate to escape the intensity of their stares. as she stepped outside, her eyes landed on the rest of the pogues, who were watching from the van. pope sat in the backseat, his expression wary, while sarah leaned out of the window, her brows furrowed.

"angie?" sarah called out, her voice tinged with surprise.angie hesitated, the awkwardness of the moment sinking in. she forced herself to walk toward the van, the gravel crunching underfoot.

"what are you doing here?" angie asked, confusion evident in her tone.sarah glanced at the others, then back to angie.

"barry." she said bluntly. "he stole from us."

angie's stomach twisted at the news. barry was always bad news, but this was a new low—even for him. she glanced back at jj and john b, who were now lingering by the front door, their conversation muffled but heated.